Sam Bennett

“If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit.”

– President Bill Clinton

As Sam Bennett has learned since being recruited to run for Mayor of Allentown in 2001 making mistakes and being attacked by your political opponents is to be expected. It how you respond that matters – critically important to retain the trust of those you are seeking to serve.

As the campaign for Mayor of Allentown 2017 unfolds and other concerns arise, we’ll make sure, in addition to other avenues of response, to update this FAQ page for the public.

Dent Raises Questions in 2008 U.S. Congressional Race

Sam paid too much at Properties of Merit of PA.

When Sam Bennett ran for U.S. Congress in 2008, incumbent Dent chose to attack Sam through the highly successful Properties of Merit funded by Governor Rendell and PA DCED to go statewide. Bottom line? When the dust settled, the press agreed that there was no wrong doing: “consultant finds nonprofit made a ‘good faith effort’ to set an appropriate salary.”

Unfortunately, the press never corrected two important points:

  1. That out of Sams concern for this non-profit that she had founded in 1984 in Oneonta NY where it still runs to this day – Sam, over the objection of the Board of Directors, halved her salary herself. Not the reverse.
  2. Sam”recused” (excuse herself because of a possible conflict of interest) herself from any meetings having to do with her salary. The Board of Directors on the findings of a consultant recommended by the Pennsylvania Association of Non-Profit Organizations (PANO) made ALL salary decisions.

Afflerbach and Dent Supporters Concerned About 2001 Election Night

Sam does not graciously concede on Election Night.

Dent supporters put this clip on YouTube in 2008 when Sam ran against him for U.S. Congress. Late in the evening in the 2001 Allentown Mayor Race, it was too close to call – and she was thanking her supporters for all their hard work. The next day we learned Sam had lost to Roy Afflerbach by only 46 votes. The concern was that she should have been more gracious to her opponent – and Sam agreed. It was a mistake she never repeated again. Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgment.


Afflerbach and Varkony Supporters Criticize in 2001 Mayor’s Race

Sam is a political opportunist, creating her civic initiatives to further her own agenda.

Sam was recruited to run by both Republicans and Democrats in 2001 because of her deep commitment to change making in Allentown. Not the other way around.

Like most American women (the U.S. ranked 84th in the world in the number of women in elected office, behind Cuba and Afghanistan) running for office was the last thing on her mind. Sam only ran for office because of her deep respect for those individuals who recruited her to run from both sides of the aisle.

Non-profit change making – from organizations Sam has created like The William Allen Construction Company, co-founded with Lee Butz to those Sam had the honor to lead, like Women’s Campaign Fund in Washington, DC – is the way most women are comfortable making the world around them a better place. Politics much less so.

But Sam came to respect the powerful positive difference women can make when they serve in elected office – and made it a goal to never give up, always keep learning so that she would be ready for the next time Sam could run for Mayor of her city, where she knew she could make a positive difference.

That is why Sam never closed my Friends of Siobhan “Sam” Bennett campaign account and kept it open for fifteen years. Despite her national work in that Presidential race prevented her from entering the race until four months before that primary – it is why Sam ran for Mayor again 2005. Leaving her national CEO position in Washington, DC. – it is why Sam is running for Mayor again in 2017.

I'm With Sam

“I've known Sam for 25 years. She has made a difference for our city more than anyone I've ever known in my 40 plus years living in Allentown, 32 years working for Lehigh County Department of Human Services, 35 years as a parent of two daughters schooled in the Allentown schools, property owner and tax payer for 40 plus years and resident of North 6th Street for 33 years. Taking into consideration my history, experiences and community involvement and participation, I believe Sam will be the best mayor our city has seen! ”
— Cynthia Douglas Mertz - 40 resident Allentown, Call Time Manager Friends of Siobhan "Sam" Bennett

Endorse Sam